The Performing Arts Department is a thriving retreat that offers rich opportunities in theatre, music and dance amidst students’ daily academic rigors. We strive to provide a foundation for the artistic and intellectual growth of our students, equipping them with skill sets and competencies that can be applied to an array of fields and jobs, both related to and separate from the arts. Guided by a spirit of creativity and collaboration, our faculty are committed to educating the whole student, marrying the theoretical with the practical and producing high caliber creations in formal and informal settings.

Each fall, the curtain rises on our main stage musical, providing countless students the opportunity to work both on and off stage as actors, technicians and designers, alongside members of the Pioneer Valley theatrical community. Students glean unparalleled lessons in leadership, presentation and cooperation under the direction of professional theatre artists. The spring season finds students mounting a Theatre for Youth Audience production in conjunction with the Education Department. Elementary Education majors devise “creative drama” workshops that are led throughout the Pioneer Valley for young students who ultimately visit Bay Path for an exclusive, student only matinee of that season’s production. Oftentimes employing puppetry, original orchestrations and state of the art technical feats, Bay Path is becoming a leader in cultivating theatrical experiences for the entire family.

For the student who desires to delve deeper into the world of acting, two successive courses are offered each year:

• Acting 1 is designed to familiarize the student with the basic techniques of the craft of acting. Students are given the opportunity to develop their skills through pantomime, improvisation, playmaking, monologues, scene study and other various traditional methods based on a technical, Stanislavski-inspired approach.
• Acting 2 is where great plays of the modern and classical theatre are analyzed and performed as students tackle complex language and characters from the dramatic literature canon. Students create their own masks in the style of Commedia Dell’Arte for use in lazzi and scenari, recreate the original performance conditions of Elizabethan times, speaking Shakespeare’s words with newfound confidence and understanding, and develop skills in directing, learning the principles of staging, promptbook assembly and rehearsal technique. Students’ experiences culminate in a university-invited Scene Night.

Musical Opportunities

We offer many options for students to explore and develop their musical talents and abilities. Whether it be joining a musical ensemble or studying music privately, students at Bay Path University will always have the opportunity embrace and discover their musical expression through the offerings of the music department.

Choral Ensembles:

• The Bay Path Chorale: This group is open to all students and welcomes all skill levels and abilities.
• The Page Singers: This is an advanced choral ensemble at Bay Path and an audition is required for acceptance into this group. Usually comprised of 12 – 16 members, Page Singers perform more difficult repertoire and demands much more responsibility from each vocalist.

Both ensembles rehearse and perform a diverse repertoire of music from the choral canon and perform bi-annually at the beloved Winterfest in December and the Spring Performing Arts Concert in April, while also performing at various campus/community events each semester.

Regardless of which ensemble you are in, you are bound to have an enjoyable and rewarding semester of music making! Both groups perform fun and traditional repertoire, covering the genres of gospel/spirituals, pop music, a cappella works (traditional and popular styles), canons, classical works, foreign language pieces and so much more! Whether you have been singing in choirs your whole life or have never sung a note of music and want to try a fun new experience, there is a choral ensemble for you at Bay Path University.

Musical Studies

Students have the opportunity to follow their musical passion by enrolling in private music instruction. Upon registering for these lessons, students will meet privately, once a week with an adjunct faculty instructor for the entirety of a semester to focus on the technical and musical skills for the instrument in which they desire to study. Private instruction available in:

• piano
• voice
• guitar
• flute
• violin
• trumpet
• cello
• clarinet

Dance Department

The Dance Department offers a full cadre of classes tap, modern jazz, and lyrical/contemporary where students are able to begin or continue their dance education in a supportive and challenging environment. Students hone their technique, strength and flexibility while focusing on the pillars of wellness, collaboration and trust.

Dance Company

Our audition based, performance team Dance Company provides students on and offstage opportunities to practice their craft in a rigorous setting, allowing those students who have dedicated so much of their lives to dancing the opportunity to continue doing what they love. Dance Company performs at several onsite events throughout the semester, such as Winterfest, the Performing Arts Concert, and Academic Achievement Day, along with participating in national dance competitions and traveling to New York City to partake in classes with Broadway artists.

So what are you waiting for? Seize the day during your time at Bay Path University and be sure to take part in the exciting and rewarding challenges offered by the Performing Arts Department!